AMOUR

Chapter Six

"STOP!" Hana jolted awake, her hand reaching out involuntarily. But the fleeting remnants of her dream slipped away before she could grasp them.

"What was I dreaming about?" She muttered to herself, glancing around the familiar surroundings of her room. She couldn't recall how she had ended up here. The last clear memory was walking away from Jungkook's garden.

Everything had spiralled downward after leaving the garden. Her mind seemed to glitch at random, accompanied by a strange, persistent noise that haunted her thoughts. Without realizing it, Hana had expended all her energy battling these mental disruptions.

Shaking off the remnants of her troubled thoughts, Hana swung her legs out of bed and stood up. The tantalizing aroma of food downstairs immediately stirred her hunger, prompting her to hurry downstairs.

"Thank you, Auntie!" Hana exclaimed gratefully as she dashed down the stairs, nearly colliding with someone in her path.

"Whoa there, cubby," Taehyung chuckled, steadying Hana with a gentle hand.

"OH MY GOD! TAE!" Hana cried out, throwing her arms around him in a tight embrace. "I missed you," she whispered against his shoulder.

Taehyung grinned, wrapping his arms around her and lifting her off her feet briefly. "Missed you too!"

"Put her down, you troublemaker," Mrs. Wang chided, though there was fondness in her tone. "She just woke up."

Laughing, Taehyung set Hana back on her feet. "Good to see you, Tae," she said warmly, patting his arm before heading into the kitchen. Hana immediately embraced Mrs. Wang from behind, a gesture that spoke of her deep affection for those close to her.

Despite her initial aloof demeanour, Hana was incredibly affectionate and clingy with those she cherished.

"Feeling better?" Mrs Wang asked softly, sensing Hana's nod against her shoulder. "You must be hungry," she added with a gentle smile.

"Very," Hana confirmed with a grateful sigh.

"Dinner's almost ready. Go take a seat," Mrs Wang instructed, but Hana groaned playfully and squeezed her tighter. Mrs. Wang chuckled, letting Hana linger a moment longer before continuing with her cooking.

"Am I invisible here?" Taehyung muttered under his breath, prompting laughter from both women. "This happens every time," he lamented with mock despair, though he secretly enjoyed the playful banter.

Teasing Taehyung was always good fun.

Taehyung had been adopted by Mrs. Wang and was Hana's closest friend. Since childhood, he had been fiercely protective of Hana, treating her like a little sister, especially after Sana's death. He didn't want Hana to blame herself indefinitely, and his support had been pivotal in helping her move forward.

Seating himself at the table with exaggerated protest, Taehyung was swiftly disciplined by Mrs. Wang, who playfully threw a spatula at him. Hana gasped as he deftly caught it mid-air and pretended to taste it. "Mmm... delicious," he teased.

"You little rascal!" Mrs Wang exclaimed, chasing after him with feigned irritation. "Come here!" she called out, though her laughter betrayed her amusement.

Taehyung, always mischievous, never missed an opportunity to stir up trouble. Together with Hana and Insoo, they had been the troublesome trio since childhood, always finding mischief wherever they went.

Finally subdued and seated properly, Taehyung watched with anticipation as Mrs. Wang finished preparing the last of the dishes and set them on the table.

"OH, Soybean Jjigae!" Hana exclaimed in an exaggerated English accent, taking her seat beside Taehyung.

Taehyung scoffed playfully, mocking her accent and earning a playful slap on the shoulder in return. "Behave, Taehyung," scolded Mrs. Wang gently.

"I feel outnumbered here," Taehyung complained theatrically, but his mouth was already full of the stew, which he savoured with exaggerated delight. "So," he began between mouthfuls, "What have you been up to lately? What's with the surprise visit?" he asked Hana.

"Not much, just needed some time to clear my head before starting my new job," Hana replied, her tone soft yet resolute.

"So you'll be leaving again?" There was a tinge of disappointment and hurt in Taehyung's voice, though he tried to mask it.

"Tae," Hana started gently, meeting his gaze with pleading eyes, hoping he would understand without further explanation.

"Yeah, I know," Taehyung replied tersely, a hint of bitterness in his tone. "Just running away again."

Hana fell silent at his words, unable to find a response. Deep down, she knew he had a point, but his words stung nonetheless.

"Taehyung, that's enough," Mrs. Wang interjected firmly. "She's just recovered."

Taehyung shot a stern look at them both before dinner resumed in subdued silence. The topic of Hana leaving was evidently a sore point for Taehyung.

He wanted her to confront her pain head-on instead of avoiding it, but Hana's strength had its limits. She wasn't as resilient as she seemed.

"I need some fresh air," Hana announced suddenly, pushing her chair back and rising from the table without another word.

Stepping outside, Hana took a deep breath, feeling the cool evening air soothe her frazzled nerves. The farmhouse was nestled near the Ahopsan forest, a place Hana often retreated to after the library. She knew its winding paths and hidden clearings like the back of her hand.

Lost in her thoughts, Hana was startled by a commotion ahead in the woods. Wild animals were rare in this area, so the noise piqued her curiosity. Suddenly, she heard a loud whimper followed by a heavy thud.

Instinctively, she hurried towards the source of the noise.

When Hana finally reached the scene, she was taken aback to find an injured animal in such an unexpected place.

Approaching cautiously, she couldn't believe the extent of the creature's injuries.